15 years of presence and mission in Bucharest

On the 29th of April, the Marist Brothers of Bucharest celebrated 15 years of their presence there, where they work to protect children who have been separated from their parents by the tribunal for safeguarding children, either for a short time or long-term.

Currently the Saint Marcellin Champagnat Centre (Case ale Sperantei) which can accommodate 32 children who are at risk, belongs to the province of Iberia. The main objective of this programme is to help the children and young people of Bucharest and to prevent family and school abandonment of the children of the neighbourhood. 

From 2006, the Brothers in the Marist Centre have been welcoming children who come from difficult or broken families, whose parents have problems of alcoholism, drug addiction, imprisonment, unemployment, lack of work and basic services.  In some cases, the young person in this house ofrefuge has suffered some type of child abuse by adults (mendicancyor sexual abuse). And there are also children who have difficulties in school or who have personality problems. 

The Brothers, together with other lay Marists, offer the children: education, social visits, medical and psychological services, socio-cultural and recreational activities. They also promote family/social integration, psycho-emotional recovery as well as offering professional advice. 

The Saint Marcellin Champagnat Centre is made up of 4 family houses with 8 children in each, and 26 people work there.